American firefighters head to Australia

NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia – American firefighters are being sent to Australia to battle raging bushfires burning across the country’s southern state of New South Wales from the south coast to the Queensland border as hot westerly winds whip up more blazes.

A team of 21 fire management specialists arrived in Sydney from Canada Thursday to help tackle the ongoing bushfire crisis.

Now, those specialists will be joined by 21 more fire personal from the United States.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management said on Thursday, numerous agencies across 11 states — including Oregon and California — are sending qualified firefighters to help with wildfire and aviation management.

“We’re sending a contingent from several federal agencies that reflects decades of fire management experience,” said U.S. Forest Service Fire Director Shawna Legarza. “We face many of the same firefighting challenges in each country. We’ve utilized their expertise in the past and welcome the opportunity to reciprocate.”

Almost the entire coastal area of New South Wales and much of the state’s northeast have a severe fire danger rating for Friday.

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